By Blood and Water
by Child of the Night13
Summary: Stefan been having the case of PTSD, drowning again and again in that safe. No one has any idea what's going on in his mind. All except for the one who had years of dealing with his own PTSD, the one who was called 21051.
1. 21051

**Hello like I said I'll eventually re-write this story since I wasn't satisfied with it the first time (probably not gonna be satisfied this time either) Anyway read on!**

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"_**Humanity is a vampire's greatest weakness. **_

_**No matter how easy it is to turn it off, it just keeps on trying to fight its way back in." **_

_**~Katherine Pierce**_

"So apparently we've been invited to a college party," Damon said stepping into the Salvatore den. His little brother, Stefan didn't acknowledge him. "Yeah that was my first reaction too. Then Elena promise to bomb us with well-top alcohol."

He approached the silent vampire, noticing his shoulders tense up, his rigid composure. Damon subconsciously frowns, picking up his steps now facing the vampire. Stefan trembles slightly; big scared green eyes stare very profoundly at the blazing fire.

The older Salvatore cocks his head studying him; Stefan's nails dig into the leather-cushion chair. Damon's breath hitched.

"Stefan," he whispers, unease at his demeanor. "Youuuu okay?"

Like the damn humanity switch itself, Stefan's head jerks up noticing, for the first time, his brother's troublesome stare.

He swallows rather forcefully, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"How about my favorite reading chair?" Damon jokes, yet there is not hit of sarcasm dripping in his voice. Stefan's gaze fall on the arm-rest, his fingers sunk deeply within the leather. Hesitantly he uncurls his fingers out of the holes, first his right hand then his left. He breathes in deeply turning back at Damon,

"Just tell Elena thanks but I'm not really up for a party tonight."

Damon opens his mouth to speak but no sound escapes his lips, besides it was already too late for Stefan already gathered himself up and rapidly exits the den. Damon is certain that he spend two full minutes staring where Stefan had disappeared too before his blue eyes look back at his leather chair now with additional decorative.

**_~0~0~0~_**

_The jolt wakes Damon from his dreamless slumber. He moans quietly squeezing his eyes shut as if it will help against the thunderous pounding on the side of his head. He raises a hand to cup his side then with a jolting realization hit him—his hands are bound with iron chains making it impossible to move them more. _

_The chains wrap itself around his wrist much like a python does to its food. Blue eyes flash open and jerks up forcefully making all the sore muscles scream in protest at he works his way into a sitting position. _

_Something else is wrong, part of his vision is block by something dark, he moves his mouth lightly realizing another problem—he can only move his mouth partly a damn muzzle must be covering his lower face. _

"_The vampire is up, sir." A voice suddenly speaks out interrupting the dead silence of the moving van. Damon turns quickly seeing a young man staring at him like some deer trap in headlights, clutching a M1917 revolver with shaking hands. Damon manages to muster a small smirk, his eyes staring piercingly at the man. _

"_What is it doing Jonah?" Another loud voice from in front of the vehicle rings out, strong and authoritive definitely the one in charge. _

"_Umm it's just staring at me sir, like it wants to kill me." _

"_It probably does. Inject more vervain 20ml should be enough until we get back." _

"_Yes sir." The young man, Damon guesses about 20 to 22 crawls closer to him, reaching into his breast pocket pulling out a syringe._

_ By vampire nature (meaning Damon didn't really have a choice in the matter) when threaten, Damon hiss through the metal cage of the muzzle. Jonah gasps, thumping his back against the side of the van. "What is the matter Jonah?" booms the older voice. _

_Damon cringe his neck to see the man if just a small glimpse but couldn't see anything. _

"_Nothing sir, it just startled me." _

"_Did it bare its fangs?" _

_Jonah looks back at the vampire choking back a scream, "Y-yes!" If it was some other situation Damon would have laugh. _

_A low tiring sigh cuts through the van, "Stop here." Slowly the van made it to a stops and seconds later the back doors where Damon slouch flies open almost sending the vampire tumbling out if not for a pair of hands throwing him the opposite direction. Damon growls both from the pain and from just being manhandle by these idiots._

_ A older man steps into view and his eyes widens for this man almost looks exactly like Giuseppe, that stern cold look and arrogance just dripping down from his demeanor; instantly Damon knew he's not going to like this guy at all._

_ "Jonah the syringe quickly!"_

_ The vampire trashes around as much as he could with chain bound hands and feet, he didn't pick up much of a fight for the men. The only husky man from the group tugs Damon's legs together and Jonah seizes his wrist. _

_Damon hiss at him, showing as much fangs as possible but with the new company grew the more Jonah's confidence did too. _

"_Down, you beast!" The husky man growls and Giuseppe look-alike takes the opportunity finally sinking the needle deep into his arm. Damon growls again from pain and from being subdue to _humans_ feels the vervain making its way in his system already dozing him. _

"_He's strong…stronger than 12144." The husky (Damon is sure it was him) commented. _

"_Joseph said the Salvatore family has been keeping this secret for over 30 years. This vampire is from the 18 century." Chimes in Jonah. _

"_And the older the vampire them more resistance it has. This shall be interesting." _

**_~0~0~0~_**

_Damon barely woke from another mini coma before strong hands fling him into a cell. He grumbles a bit, "Jonah take off the muzzle." _

"_Why me! You do it!" _

"_NO! I'm not going anywhere near its mouth! Jasper, you do it!" _

_A small snorts comes him from Damon's left side. "Easy there mates, the man is down from the vervain, he's not ripping up throats anytime soon. Oh, he's waking up better take it off quickly." _

"_Shut up vampire!" someone barks but reluctantly steps closer. Damon's eyes open just a fragment. The calluses hands are rough with him, tucking the straps loose and quickly removing the muzzle from his face. _

_Damon waste no time, in a flash (though slow for vampire standards) he grabs a fist full of hair tugging the head to the side and sink his aching fangs into the warm flesh. _

_The man screams along with his companions until someone sprays water at him. Damon screams cringing away, vervain-laced water, "Get away you son of a b*tch!" The water keeps on spraying on to the crying vampire, burning his flesh. _

_The irons poles jolt, "That's enough!" screams the other in the cell. _

_The water stops after a hesitant instant, "Learn you're place creature," the man hiss then opens the water facet again but sprays it to the opposite cell. Damon hears a angry growl from his neighbor, "You too, vampire." _

_The humans left afterwards and time pass before Damon felt he wasn't burning alive. He looks at the cell next to him but a black wall only meets him. "Down here, mate."_

_ His eyes move towards a small section where the other side is visible. Damon grunts as he crawls over there. "You alright mate?" the vampire asks. Damon sighs, he could just have been 26 when he died, young like him. "I've had worst." _

_The vampire chuckles, "You will soon enough. I'm 12144 names Lorenzo but it's Enzo for friends." _

_Damon nods, "Damon, and I don't really have a nickname…or a number." _

"_Actually Damon you do, look." He points at the wall; Damon looks back; encrypted into a wooden sign is the numbers _21051_. "Oh," the blue-eyed vampire murmurs, "21051." _

**_~0~0~0~_**

"_Today is you're first day 21051." The Giuseppe-like human said. Damon growls, trying to move his limps from the surgical table."I'm just doing to give you a summary. You are in a society that prides itself for the advancement of science, we are called the Augustine Society and you are called an Augustine vampire. _

_Here I have no tendency to remember your human name since you are no longer a living soul creature; I shall only call you as 21051." _

_Damon chuckles, "Please, you sir are delirious. What makes you think you can control me?" _

_Giuseppe duplicate nods, fingering a shrapnel. "That is a good question 21051. Apart of having you here in captivity you're relative Joseph mention that you have a brother also a vampire." _

_Damon stiffs staring coldly at the man._

_ "And that's he's more subduesive than you, he probably doesn't have much pain tolerance. So of course liking uhh Stefan wasn't it? Liking Stefan more than you, he sells you out. But still gave me the locations of you're brother. If you behave, 21051 no harm will befall you're brother…if you give into you're vampire urges I shall arrange the cell next to yours to be clean for a new addition." _

_The blue-eyed vampire stares at the human then suddenly laughs. He laughs until tears come out of his eyes,_

_ "What makes you think my brother is leverage against me? We haven't talked in decades I don't even know where he is!" _

"_I have a younger brother too. Of course we haven't talked since my parent dishonored me, Patrick was his name. I loved my brother unconditionally through all we been is a beautiful think, 21051. And I'm sure even with decades to live the bond of brothers never disperse…would you like me to bring him for you to find out?" _

_Damon frowns "Was. Why did you say 'was'? What happened to your brother?" _

_The man stops, looks at him with a serious expression. "He turned into one of your kind. He's dead." _

_Damon gulps at the Giuseppe doppelganger eyes the shrapnel,_

_ "Ah I forgot to mention, my name is Augustine." _

_Then the shrapnel came down on Damon's eye and he couldn't help but a scream ripping in his throat. _

Damon gasps, coming back to the present. He blinks rapidly as if the action could erase the memories from barging back to his conscious. He runs his hand through his hair, "God I'm acting like a trauma/sociopath now?"

"What?"

Damon stands up quickly, feeling his own "un-beating" heart race rapidly. Stefan is back, now staring with curiosity at his brother.

Damon shrugs, "Nothing, ignore me, so re-thought the party?"

Stefan shakes his head, "Nah, I'm just going out, try to…clear my head somewhere else. Have fun at the party, Damon. And don't kill anybody."

"Please brother I'm always on my best behavior." He grins, calmly stepping back from his chair. "Yeah, sure," replied the younger Salvatore, grabbing and slinging his jacket over his shoulder and walks out of the residence.

Damon lets out a breath, "That was close." He looks back at the leather chair, wondering how he's going to fix it later when he suddenly realize that the holes Stefan made seem bigger and now the leather is tear like if someone claw at it.

After a moment blue eyes swipe to its own hands, noticing his nails have pieces of leather under them. Damon breathes in deeply looking back at the front door.

"Seems like we both have a problem, Stefan. You might think no one understands what you're going through, that people believe it just a face. They're wrong. I know what is happening, I've lived with it these past years and I hate the thought of you having the same problem,"

He walks swiftly back to the front door, picking up his car keys and lets the door bang shut.

"It doesn't get any easier after it…and I just hope," he slowly gets into his car, hands clutching the stirring wheel a little too tightly, "I just what you to do the right thing…not like I did. I'm sorry Stefan;you have no idea how much 21051 understands you…and you probably never will."

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**I might continue it for three chapters, just random one-shots. It will still follow the episodes but just a bit AU. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	2. On the Road Again

**Hello everyone! Thank you for reviewing and favoriting/following this story. I hope it comes out right! **

**Chapter 2, "**

**Enjoy!**

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"_**Lies and secrets they are like a cancer in the soul. **_

_**They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind."**_

_**~Cassandra Clare, "Clockwork Prince**_

"_**I thought about how there are two types of secrets: the kind you want to keep in and the kind you don't dare to let out." **_

_**~Ally Carter, "Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover" **_

A small cough echoes through the murky brick basement and bright blue eyes open slowly to its new world. He blinks uncertain for there might be someone there with him too. Damon blinks staring at the smirking face of Dr. Wes Maxfield, the very man he torture only hours before.

"What the hell are you doing to me?" He growls out, trying to get his body to move.

Wes blinks, tapping the syringe, "Vervain. Keep you calm." The vampire growls lightly at the piercing of the needle on his neck.

"Wes," he murmurs. "Why am I here?"

The young blonde doctor stands up, "I lost a test subject last night," he comments stepping back from the cell. "And you're gonna replace him." He lets the cell door lock with a bang and Damon sighs feeling once again drowsy.

He gives into darkness willingly.

_~0~0~0~_

"_Now which one of you is ready for a laryngeal surgery?" Dr. Augustine Whitmore hums_ _coming to the twin cells with captive vampires. Enzo body suddenly tenses but we wouldn't meet his eyes, Dr. Whitmore turns to his new addition. The vampire is curl into a small ball, back facing the cell. He hasn't recovered from yesterday's examines. Under the small lighting, he can see the vampire shaking…only a little bit but it's clearly there. _

_Whitmore grins for once the hunter fears its prey. _

"_Well 21051 looks like it's you're lucky day." He slowly opens the cell, grinning at the vampire uncurl itself and press against the corner, blue eyes narrowing dangerously of that of an animal under aggression._

_ "Hey! Hey, Doc!" Enzo calls from the opposite cell, "Why don't you take me, huh? I clearly have more energy than my cellmate over here. Come on! Take me instead!" _

_Dr, Whitmore raises an eyebrow, the creature has morals. Interesting. "Valid point, 12144 but I need a more submissive subject, a laryngeal surgery can go wrong every quickly with sharp movements. Come on, 21051." _

_The lean man scrambles Damon on his feet, half dragging half support him out of the cell. Enzo bangs the cell poles making them jolt. _

_"_Bloody hell_, just take me! Haven't you done enough to him already?" Dr. Whitmore just smiles, "Relax 12144 you will get your turn," then he slowly lets the cell door clang shut, dragging the fearful vampire off. _

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

_Knock. Knock. _

The young man opens the door unceremoniously, staring at the beautiful brunette girl in view. "Aaron! Hey!"

Aaron nods, "Hey. So you heard?"

The brunette, Elena, frowns. "Heard what?"

"That Jesse is dead. He killed himself last night; campus security came by to tell me."

Elena stares sorrowfully at Aaron, knowing full well that wasn't true. "Oh my god…I'm so sorry." _You have no idea how sorry I am, Aaron. Sorry._

Aaron sighs stepping back letting her in, he shakes his head. "What's up with this college, it's suppose to be different? I-I came here to start fresh, to get away from all the crap in my past."

Elena nods, intertwining her fingers. "I get it. After everything you've been through, after everything you've lost…I would want to start over too."

Aaron looks at her, sitting at the edge of the desk. "How did you press the reset button?"

Elena frowns, coming closer to the desperate teen, "Me? I haven't reset anything, all my problem followed me here."

Aaron nods once, slowly getting up from the desk, taking her hands into his. "Well at least there's someone that get it. I'm glad that you do, Elena." He lets go of her, "But you're not here cause of Jesse. Why you here?"

Elena shakes her head, "I-I don't want to bother you, especially right now."

"My day is not gonna get any worst so, uh, go ahead." Elena Gilbert stares at him for a second before nodding, getting into business. "Okay, well last night you told me that Wes is your legal guardian."

"Yeah, yeah, so this past summer—after my…aunt Sarah died. Why?"

"The thing is my boyfriend, Damon, went to talk to Wes last night—and no one seen or heard from either of them since, and it kinda worries me, you know? I know how bad the timing is but I'm just hoping maybe you can help me find Wes."

Aaron sighs, standing up. "Yeah, yeah I think I know a place where we can start."

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

"Caroline! Caroline I think it's enough!" cries the younger Salvatore from inside the safe, the very safe where he was drowning over and over again. Caroline hums reading over her psychology textbook.

"I really don't think you know what you're doing, Caroline."

Stefan chokes out trying to easy his undead heartbeat from him dying of a heart attack.

Can vampires die of a heart attack? He doesn't want to the first one to test that out.

"Of course I know what I'm doing!" she says turning the page, scanning it then turning it back quickly, "Huh, sort of."

Stefan sighs, shutting his eyes.

"_Hello my shadow-self."_

Stefan gasps, pounding the lid, "Alright Caroline you had your try now get me out!"

"_Hello my shadow-self."_

"Not yet, Stefan, hold up I think I'm up to something," Another turn of a page.

"I don't think you're getting anywhere with this Blonde." Katherine says, playing around with a pen on the couch. "Who says I need you here!" called Caroline abandoning the book.

"Guys?" whispers Stefan, his heart beating faster and faster. _Yup, I'm gonna have a heart attack. _

"…_my shadow-self." _

He pounds again, "Caroline!"

"Well since I was the one to call you in the first place, now don't get to bossy."

Caroline rolls her eyes, "Hello who's the vampire here?"

"Caroline!"

"…_my shadow-self."_

'Not now Stefan!"

"…_Silas." _

Stefan pounds even harder, "Please Caroline let me out! Now! I-I can't please!" he cries out desperately.

Caroline jumps at the sound of a phone ringing, even Katherine blinks rapidly staring at the phone. "It's for you Stefan."

He gasps, "Great, let me out then."

There's a squeak sound and the lid slowly raises, Stefan jumps out of it as quickly as he can, snatching the phone from Katherine's hands.

"Hello."

"_**Stefan, you okay you sound out of breathe." **_

"I'm fine Elena, just came back from hunting. What up?"

"…_**well I was wondering, has Damon show up around there?" **_

Stefan frowns, looking at Caroline, she shakes her head. "No, he hasn't stop by. Why?"

"_**I've been calling him but he doesn't answer his phone and last night after Jesse he went to talk to Wes again. And no one has heard from either of them. I'm worried."**_

Caroline snatches the phone from him, "Calm down, Elena. I'm sure you're boyfriend is out in some bar, with a dead phone."

"_**No, Caroline I know Damon, he doesn't do that anymore. Well not before telling me he's going to a bar. **_

_**I think something bad has happen to him and the only person who can know is Wes." **_

Stefan snatches back the phone, "Look I'll come over to help you out. We all are, just calm down and try to figure this out."

"_**Okay, see you then."**_ _Click._

Caroline waves her hands, "What! Come on Stefan, your brother is somewhere drinking off some girl! Come on we got more important things to do, like you're PTSD."

Stefan shakes his head, grabbing his jacket, "I can't Caroline, and Elena seems stress out so I'm going to help her. You are coming?"

She sighs, "Not like I have a choice now….Katherine?"

Katherine shrugs her shoulders, and Stefan sighs, "Yeah we're taking her too."

"_What!" _

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

Damon sighs, how the hell did I get into this mess again? He shakes his head thinking of the irony of it all.

He glances at Wes, who seems to be writing down some notes in a file. "Just so you know…didn't end so well for the last Augustines. You're inviting in bad karma by holding me here."

Wes stops writing, now full attention to the vampire. "Is that what you told Dr. Whitmore?"

Damon cocks his head, smiling. "Actually Dr. Whitmore wasn't much for conversation…"

_Dr. Whitmore walks around the vampire, grabbing his flashlight and turns to the vampire lying on the gurney. He inspects the vampire's eyes. "As much as I love a free check up-" _

_The vampire, Damon, pushes his hand away facing his eyes. "You're gonna let me go."_

_Dr. Whitmore stares for a second before chuckling showing off his wristwatch, "That's a good try, I'm wearing vervain."_

_Damon lets his head sink back down, "Oh." _

_Dr. Whitmore pushes up his shirt exposing his stomach, he pokes around. "You know most people would invite me dinner first." _

"_This isn't a personal matter, like I said earlier on; it's for the advancement of science."_

_Damon growls, "The hell you talking about?"_

"_You're a vampire-"_

_Damon snorts, "Didn't notice, Sherlock." _

"—_Your blood heals others, your body heals itself. I'm studying the regeneration process of internal organs after I remove them."_

_Damon tries not to let those words affect him, "Listen, how I got this amazing body has nothing to do with science, so—"_

_A sharp pains stops him, he screams out loud, fining he couldn't see from his right eye. _

"_You talk too much," he pulls the straps tighter. "I should start there." _

"See you Augustines freaks are still at it. Eye exams that sort of thing."

Wes smiles, "Just proof that my research goes far beyond that. I trained him to crave vampire blood instead of human blood," he grins at Damon's eyes widening.

"I'm ready to take my work to the next level."

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

"Elena hey!" Stefan calls her in the campus. Elena smiles running up to him with a blond boy behind her.

'Stefan! I'm glad you came. Aaron this is Stefan, Damon's brother. Stefan this is Aaron."

Stefan nods, "Hey."

"Aaron is taking me somewhere we can find Wes and..." She stops as her phone rings, "It's Caroline."

Stefan sighs, "Yeah she's in your dorm room, and we have a small problem. You should go, I'll go with Aaron."

Elena hesitates but nods, "Okay, I'll catch up later, and Aaron thanks again."

"No problem, really."

Elena smiles up to Stefan again, "Text me when you find Wes." The she walks quickly back to the dorm.

Stefan turns back to Aaron, "Lead the way."

The stop right outside of the Whitmore house, Aaron cautiously steps inside while Stefan hangs by the front door. 'Nice place," he comments.

Aaron looks at him, "Well come in, have a better look." Stefan slowly enters the house, please that he did so. "So who owns this place?"

"Technically I do, yeah once people realize I'm a Whitmore-"

"Wait, you're a Whitmore, like as in you own the school?"

Aaron tucks his hands in his pockets, 'That's what they think."

Stefan chuckles looking around the photographs; "Aaron? What are you doing here?"

Stefan steps back, now facing a young man looking confuse. "Elena Gilbert wanted to fine you but she had to go so her friend, Stefan, is here."

Stefan nods, "Wes Maxfield, right?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"Stefan Salvatore."

Wes frowns, "Salvatore? As in Damon Salvatore is your brother?"

Stefan jaw clench, "Yeah, how do you know him?"

"We've talked yesterday night; he's a bit persistent isn't he."

"He can be."

Wes nods coming around Stefan, "I see." Then with a sharp reflex he stabs Stefan. His eyes go wide, he tries to bit Wes but already the vervain takes effect. "What the hell Wes?!"

Stefan chokes and involuntarily closes his eyes, welcoming darkness.

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

"Come on Stefan, wake up. Wake up, Stef."

Stefan growls feeling the pounding of hammers in his head, he closes his eyes then re-opens them finally falling to a pair of blues. "Hey, hi."

"Damon! Are you-"

"I'm fine. Wes injected you with vervain maybe when it wears off," he takes a hold of the poles shaking them; "We'll be able to break through these."

Stefan shakes his head instantly regretting it, "Why are you here? Why am I here? Where the hell are we?"

Damon sighs, letting his head sink to his hands, his bangs fall into his eyes. "Wes is caring out the grand Augustine tradition, getting his kicks off vampire torture."

The younger Salvatore frowns, "Did he tell you that?"

Damon sighs, _here it comes._ "He didn't have too…I've been here before."

Stefan's expression fell, he became limp. "What?" And there it is.

Damon hesitates for half a second, "You remember Joseph, right? 1953? He said he send you a telegram too."

He nods, "I did, though it came late. I came to Mystic Falls a day after his…murder."

Damon snorts, "He deserved it…he was actually my favorite. Joseph sold me out to the Augustine's. Every day the nut-job Dr. Whitmore tortured us and cut us. Took pieces of our eyes out, push us to our limits and beyond what you could imagine. And he had quite and imagination."

He looks around the cell, "He kept me in this very cell, don't think I haven't appreciated the irony."

Stefan sighs pushing himself back against the wall, "How long?"

"What?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know! How long where you here?"

Damon shrugs, sitting up. "Five years give or take."

Stefan lets out a nervous laugh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And you never told me?"

"Once it was over, it was over. You didn't have to know."

"Damon, how did you not go crazy?"

He shrugs again, "Believe it or not, I made a friend."

_Damon was being drag by the doctor himself back into his cell, he throws him in. Damon bounces off the wall and lands with a thud on his side. _

"_Dr. Whitmore never gets tired of watching us vampires heal. But he gives us one glass of blood a day just enough to keep us alive." _

_Damon blinks, his head still spinning._

"_Pick yourself up, soldier." _

_Damon grunts but he does what he's told, pushing himself up ignoring his sore muscles protest. The vampire smiles, "That's the spirit, Damon." _

_Damon chuckles slightly, "Thanks Enzo." _

"He was a soldier in Europe during World War II."

Stefan looks at his brother, "How did he end up here?"

Damon scoots back against the wall, losing Stefan's line of vision. "Dr. Whitmore was working on a battlefield hospital when Enzo barely turned. So he drugged him, locked him in a coffin and shipped him overseas. He had been here for ten years before I joined the party."

Stefan shakes his head, sinking down to his stomach and looks up to Damon. "You should have told me, Damon. I should have known."

"And for what, Stefan! I didn't want you pity…I still don't want it."

Stefan sighs, a pregnant pause fills the air and after a few minutes Stefan spoke again.

"How are we gonna get out of here?"

Damon crosses his arms over his chest, "I don't know…sorry I got you into this, Stef. After your traumatizing swim this is the last thing you need."

He looks back into those green eyes, "I promise you I'll get you out of here, I will."

Stefan nods and silence overlaps all—both vampires thinking about the future ahead of them.

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**So chapter two, like I said its going to be a bit AU so bare with me. Thank you for reading!**

**Review!**


	3. To Live takes Courage

**Welcome! And thank you for your reviews and following this story. **

**Again based on the Episodes, The Cell, Fifty Shades of Grayson and so on and so forth, this story will be a bit AU.**

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"_**Survivors aren't always the strongest; sometimes they're the smartest, but more often simply the luckiest." **_

_**~Carrie Ryan**_

"_**Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage." **_

_**~Seneca**_

"Caroline I got your call! What happen?" Elena starts stepping into her dorm room. She stops short staring into the perfect replica of her eyes.

"Hello my doppelganger self" She smirks twirling her hair almost seductively.

_Katherine. _

Elena frowns closing the door behind her, her eyes fix to the blonde in the room ignoring her duplicate. "What the hell is happening Caroline? Why is _she_ here?"

Caroline grimace stepping closer, "It's complicated. Long story short, we were helping Stefan overcome his PSTD problem so we kind of locked him in the safe again, then you—'

"Interrupted the session, that's gonna cost extra." Chimes Katherine.

"And then Stefan rushed out right after your call and we just couldn't leave her by herself according to him so she tagged along." Caroline claps her hands, "So this idea was _entirely_ not mine."

Elena sighs rubbing her temples, she nods. "Okay, no it's fine. Doesn't matter as long she doesn't get in the way."

"Um,_ helllloo_, this cute, hot 'she' has a name you know."

Elena turns to her smiling, "Rrright I almost forgot, sorry, as long as the vamp slut doesn't get in the way."

Katherine shrugs flinging herself on Bonnie's bed. "I've been called worst, honey."

Caroline waves her hands exasperate, "Okay! This is NOT the time to be doing this! Where'd Stefan go?"

"He's with Aaron," Elena starts explaining taking a seat on her own bed. "Aaron might know a place where we can find Wes; he was taking me when Stefan met us. I had to leave them behind because of your call but he promise to call me when he find Wes." She looks at her phone. "He hasn't called nor text and I'm getting worried. It's been a while."

The blonde vampire nods pacing back and forth, "We need to fine Aaron again, make him tell us where Stefan went and what happened. Come on, oh!"

The two vampire friends look at the hundred year-old vampire raising a eyebrow at them. "Don't let me stop your little scavenger hunt."

Caroline hums for a moment then her lips turn upward slightly, "Oh don't worry Kat you're not going to be a bother at all."

* * *

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

Stefan paces the cell troubled like a cage animal just waiting to burst out. He shakes the poles once again when they did not budge he silently curse and pace some more.

This has been going on for thirty minutes and it's beginning to drive Damon crazy.

"Will you just stop it?! All you're pacing is giving me a headache; it looks like you have worms. Ugh not that's a disgusting thought."

Stefan glares at the space where he estimate his brother is trying to bore a hole on the wall. Nonetheless the younger brother stops moving.

He blinks, "Damon?"

"What."

"How did you survive? All those years tortured, in pain…how?"

Damon breathes in deeply, "Enzo's friendship kept me alive. He gave me a reason to hang on to my humanity. Even when I thought I'll be a prisoner forever…"

"_You into a sport, Damon?" asks Enzo dully; hands resting on the rim cursing only his hands can taste freedom from behind the cell. _

_Damon lying on the cold floor doesn't acknowledge his question instead just lies on his stomach with droopy eyes. _

_Enzo keeps on going like he'd answered, "Yeah either am I. Any other interest? Fine wines, travel, cars?" _

_Damon licks his lips unresponsive. "I was into cars," Enzo says again talking like it wasn't a one-side conversation. "The kind you take on a Sunday drive to impress a pretty girl. Ever done that, mate?" There's an ongoing silence. _

"_Once or twice." Damon finally replies moving slightly. _

_Enzo raises an eyebrow "Oh, come now. Got to be more than that!"_

_Damon sighs, his hand resting under his cheek. "The girl I was trying to impress was more of a horse and carriage type girl." _

_The younger vampire frowns looking down at his cell mate. "Wait, just one girl? Really, I'll have you as a more…outgoing person." _

"_Never met another like her." _

_Enzo shrugs, "Well, fair enough."_

_Damon turns on his back, grunting as he did so, staring at the lifeless ceiling. The same litharge ceiling. "What about you? Any pretty girls?"_

"_Eh, too many to count." _

_Damon involuntarily snickers, typical Enzo. _

"_Actually there was one," Enzo starts solemnly. "Her name was Maggie." _

"_Where'd you met her?" _

_Enzo laughs silently. "Here of all places. She was working for Dr. Whitmore."_

_Damon hums for a second. "Charming?"_

"_Oh, she was very, she was kind to me. She used to sit there in the hallway taking notes while she observed me."_

"_That's how you fell for her?" It came out a bit rude in Damon's ears but honestly he didn't care after all the pain he's been through that day he wasn't one for politeness at the moment. _

"_Oh she was also stunningly beautiful." _

"_Aha." Damon said acknowledging the thought. Enzo stands up straighter gripping the poles, "You have to understand she—she wasn't part of the torture and the experiments. For the longest time, she didn't realize that Dr. Whitmore was doing more than just observing my behavior." _

_He paused, blinking. "I didn't have the heart to tell her. I was just so glad for her company, you know?" _

_Damon looks around the cell. "Yeah, I know." _

"_When she finally realized what was going on here, she couldn't bear it. She said she was sorry…and she left." _

_Damon lets the statement sink in, he turns once more to catch a better look at his cellmate; Lorenzo. "Well," he says placing his hands under his chin. "You know never really would have worked anyway. You're a vampire, she's a human. The relationship would have been doomed from the beginning." _

_Enzo sighs, "You need more positive outlook, mate. How about family? Got any living?"_

"_Considering the fact I'm hanging out here because of someone in my family sold me out, none that I actually talked too. And as living well not exactly. I have a younger vamp brother who got turned by the same women we apparently both fell in love with. It was a complicated triangle." _

"_Can imagine." He chuckles staring down at Damon, smirking. "That must really had sucked for you." _

"_Now who needs a more positive outlook?" _

_Enzo was about to responds back when a rather loud creak of a door stops him. Enzo stiffens and Damon scrambles up taking a few steps further into the cell. _

_Dr. Whitmore waltz right in tossing his keys as he watches each vampire, "Who's next?" _

_Damon looks away not wanting to meet his cold glance while Enzo narrows his own a small growl escapes his lips and only Damon could hear it. _

_Dr. Whitmore turns to his new addition. "21051, you seem to possess more energy today as well." He starts approaching his cell. _

"_I take that as an insult. I'm again having far more energy than my cellmate." Dr. Whitmore looks at Enzo, "I can't believe you missed it." _

"_Fine. Your turn." Whitmore unlocks his cell door and yanks Enzo out. Enzo gives Damon a quick look before he's lead on by the doctor. Damon lets out a stream of curses once he can no longer see them and not minutes later he can hear Enzo's choke moans and blood-curling screams._

_ Damon begins pacing his cell, fingers tucking at his hair by its own accord and occasionally gripping his ears as if the action can block out his screams. The cycle repeats until the lights turn off leaving Damon in total darkness. _

_Hours must have passed before once again Dr. Whitmore guides Enzo to his cell, dumping him unceremoniously into the cell and locks it behind him. Enzo gives out a low moan his eyes painfully shut with dry blood stains run down his cheeks as if he's been crying out blood. _

"_Why are you doing this to us? We are not simple animals you can butcher at your will." Damon growls trying to keep some anger in check not knowing for sure if there'll be a punishment afterward…actually who gives a damn?_

_Dr. Whitmore shines his lamp at his direction watching curiously Damon's pupils shrink abnormally small. _

_"Because 21051. I'm seeking at the smallest indivisible unit of your biological make-up, and once I can understand you from a cellular level I can put you to use." _

_Damon unconsciously lets out a small animalistic growl not exactly helping his cause at all. "Oh and yes, I do see you as only animals. Animals with no souls that need to be studied. And stopped." _

_He turns back and walks off leaving Damon growling silently. His dark pupils expand abnormally large. _

Stefan sighs shaking his head miserably. He grips the poles tighter until cutting off the blood circulation. "God…."

"Yup." Damon replied his eyes close and popping the "p".

Stefan clenches his fist. He's angry, angry at Dr. Whitmore for putting his brother through that angry at himself for not being there, for in those years he was with Lexi, enjoying his life.

And not once did he think of his brother.

"How are we gonna get out of here? Maybe after we don't come home and Elena been looking for you, she'll find us and let us out."

Damon shrugs, "Points for optimism. Unfortunately no one knows this place even exists. I mean, you didn't. You know…the first year I actually thought you'll march right in her like some angry Ripper and get me out. Boy, I was disappointed when it didn't happen, but I did manage to escape. And there's really no points of drowning in more guilt, Stefan so don't give me your pouty face. Because of that I never told you…I never told anyone."

The younger brother lets out a whimper, "I am so sorry, D—"

"Don't start with the sappy sorry crap, Stefan! You know that doesn't work for me."

Another silence fills the cells as both Salvatore's replay their early conversation.

Life works in such mysterious ways; if this was 1800's Damon would have no problem talking to his brother about his worries, his fears and what's disturbing him and the same when backwards. Now it's just hard to start these times of conversations and even harder to remain in the topic.

For Stefan, now, it's easy for he has to know what happened and must know all the details whether Damon likes it or not. Probably the latter.

Finally manage the courage, "How did you escape? How did you do it?"

He can hear his brother's unsteady sigh and Stefan himself stops breathing. That sigh carries pain beyond his comprehension but he has to know!

"They let us out of the basement once a year. Every New Year's Eve, the Augustine people had a little cocktail party with a vampire buffet on the side. We were weak from the vervain injections, half starving from living on a glass of blood a day, chained up like animals.

Damon crawls to the opposite wall next to the little opening, Stefan does the same.

"This little annual shindig is where the Doctor got to show all this Augustine friends what he'd found in his research. Mrs. Fell had generously offered her hand so that Whitmore can cut it, letting her drink Enzo's blood to heal the wound. But on the plus side, that's how Enzo came up with his plan. 'Well, the thing about our daily rations of blood was barely enough for one vampire to survive on, he said after they dragged us back into our cells, 'but if one vampire were to drink two rations everyday for the next year, he'd be able to build up his strength. So by the time New Years Eve comes around again, that one vampire will be ready to fight.'

Stefan nods, acknowledging the plan. Damon continues, "So we played the famous rock-paper-scissors to see who that lucky vampire would be. He got rock while I draw paper, I was that lucky vampire."

* * *

_**~0~0~0~0~  
**_

"What!" Bonnie yells at Caroline while Katherine rolls her eyes. Caroline sighs, "Look Bonnie we wouldn't be asking you this if it wasn't serious-"

"So you want me to babysit Katherine!"

Katherine frowns, "Excuse me? Do I look like I need a sitter?"

Elena rises from her chair, "Yes you do, and I'm still can't see why you're here Jeremy."

The young Gilbert shrugs, "Just hanging out with Bonnie."

Caroline smirks, "Rriight hanging out. Anyway will you do this, please Bonnie we need to find Stefan!"

"And _Damon."_ Chimes Elena, looking sternly at Caroline.

"And Damon," Caroline concludes, "Happy?"

Bonnie looks at her two best friends and sighs exasperatedly, "Okay fine! We will but just call us if you need anything."

"We?"

"Yes, Jeremy is helping me. End of story."

Elena nods, "Fine okay! Let's go Caroline." Elena stalks out the door while Caroline holds the door for a second looking at the couple. "Don't think I don't know what you guys been up to! Oh careful with her, she's a rat."

"Hey!"

_**~0~0~0~0~**_

A few hours pass by the last time Damon spoke. Stefan, already done biting all of his nails, begins softly to pull his hair. In the meantime Damon stares out into the hallway. "Still looks the same since the day I was here," he comments taking a whiff of the air and cringes, "Still smells the same too."

Stefan slowly rises from the floor, placing his hands through the bars. "What happened next? Did the plan work?"

Yet again another long pause before his brother shrugs, "It worked perfectly."

He moves away from the cell, "The Augustine's next party was in 1958, I'd been drinking Enzo's ration for an entire year, though he kept some to himself so he wouldn't desiccate. And as he starved himself, I got stronger from all the extra blood just like he said I would."

The older Salvatore sinks down next to the small opening. Stefan does too, belly to the floor as he stares up at his brother.

Damon glances down meeting green eyes before staring back into space. "It was close to midnight; Dr Whitmore picked me out of the cage. I manage to yank one of the chains off my wrist breaking my fingers in the process. Whitmore noticed, he stared as my fingers snapped into place, and I said watching his eyes go wide; "Now you see it…" before I stabbed him in both eyes, just like what he'd done to us. I made my way through other members; sinking my aching fangs deep into their necks enjoying the feeling of blood gushing into my raw throat…it's been over five years since I fed like a vampire. I was too deep into the bloodlust that I didn't noticed someone knocked some candles over, making the rug burst into flames next to the cage. Enzo called me out, I ran over trying to make the cage open but it was laced with vervain and the damn door just didn't want to open. Enzo helped too…it still wouldn't open and the flames crept closer to us.

"Enzo trusted me with his life," Stefan can barely here Damon's voice breaking, just a tiny bit.

"The fire was getting out of control I would have burned up or they would capture me again. There was no way I'll get another chance of escaping."

Damon blinks rapidly not noticing a tear drop running down his cheek, " So I chose to save myself. I looked at Enzo straight in the eye, I could tell he knew what I was about to do, I said sorry…I was sorry. He begged me, plead me but it was too late. I knew if I had to save myself…I had to stop caring for Enzo. So I turned off my emotions."

Stefan shakes his head biting into his lip, "I felt nothing as I walked away. And I let my friend to die. After that everything was fine."

He subconsciously wiped away the incoming tears. _"Everything was fine."_


End file.
